Team Australia finishes on the podium as the Surfers Paradise Indy produces yet another first-time winner, reports MICHAEL LYNCH.

Sixteen years, 16 races - and still the Surfers Paradise Champ Car race has yet to produce a repeat winner as Frenchman Nelson Philippe added his name to the honour roll when he won a dramatic 59-lap contest yesterday, narrowly defeating Mexican Mario Rodriguez in record time to post his first Champ Car victory.

The Gold Coast-backed Team Australia - part bankrolled by Queensland financial services identity Craig Gore - got its hoped for podium finish. But it was a bittersweet result for local fans when the "wrong" man, Canadian Alex Tagliani in the squad's No. 15 car, stood on the third step of the victory dais.

Team Australia's pole-sitter Will Power, the 25-year-old from Toowoomba, led the race for much of the first half and looked a genuine winning chance until he was involved in a collision instigated by championship-winning driver Sebastien Bourdais.

The Frenchman tried what looked like an ambitious overtaking move on Power on lap 29, powering down his inside, but when Bourdais locked his car's wheels, he clipped Power's car, damaging the front suspension and breaking the hearts of the parochial 312,054-strong crowd baying for an Australian victory.

Power's pit crew did enough to get him back on track, where he finished 12th - one place behind the other Australian, Ryan Briscoe - but it was an anticlimactic end to what had been a tremendous weekend for the Indianapolis-based Australian. However, it will not have harmed his career prospects.

"I can't say how disappointed I am. We had the car to win the race," Power said before accusing Bourdais of destroying his home-town race. "It was a bit of a wanker move if you ask me. To be taken out like that really pisses me off.

"I was controlling the race but unfortunately that corner always seems to be the corner I am taken out on. I was surprised that Sebastien did that because AJ (Allmendinger, his only championship rival) was out of the race and the championship was his. He ruined my race and my home event."

Team Australia co-owner Gore went further, accusing the Frenchman of not deserving his championship trophy.

"Sebastien isn't in formula one because he's not good enough," a furious Gore said. "He's holding the trophy up but he's not really deserving of it . . . what he did today didn't benefit the series, didn't benefit this event and was quite arrogant in my book."

Bourdais refused to accept blame for the incident, claiming Power was holding him up.

"I was all over him and trying to pass him but not taking too many chances. I didn't try to take him out. I couldn't stop the car."

Twenty-year-old Philippe had to survive a desperate duel over the last few laps as Rocket Sports Racing's Dominguez - one of several drivers in this field who already had won at the concrete barrier-lined Gold Coast street circuit - tried all he knew to get past Philippe's CTE Racing Lola-Cosworth.

Philippe became the youngest driver in a Champ Car race when he made his debut in 2004 at Long Beach, California, and yesterday he became the youngest race winner. Despite his late-'80s birthdate, part of him is a child of the early '70s, as he revealed that it was the high-rotation playing of funk godfather James Brown's classic Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, that had inspired him to victory.

Afterwards, he was ecstatic about his maiden win, soaking up the podium atmosphere and celebrations. "This is awesome . . . it's just been an amazing day. I have no words," he declared.

One notable voice of dissent was that of Canadian Paul Tracy, who finished fourth but believed he was seriously impeded by Dominguez.

"I am so pissed off with Champ Car and its officiating. I mean I can't even describe how upset I am. During the two incidents with Mario, I was avoiding both of us crashing and I get penalised and have to drop two positions because of it. So, basically, you are damned if you do and damned if you don't - if you make contact, they penalise you for that, too."